


A Desert Man: The Memoirs of an Evil King

by ElvenQueen18



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Gen, Start Of Darkness, Villain PoV, Written From 2011 to 2012, back story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27408283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElvenQueen18/pseuds/ElvenQueen18
Summary: History would remember him as the King of Evil. But how did the sole male Gerudo become the most evil man in Hyrule? Ganondorf tells his side of the story.
Relationships: Ganondorf & Kotake & Koume (Legend of Zelda), Ganondorf/Nabooru (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue: Awaiting the Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uggggh...this old fic is criminally short and has wasted potential and I'm sorry.

An ominous melody filled the chamber as the tanned, red-haired man played the elaborate organ. He paid no mind to the blonde Princess still floating in the pink crystal he had captured her in earlier. She was clearly in no mood to talk, and that suited him perfectly; the idea of having a civilized conversation with one of his main adversities was laughable.

Ganondorf knew what—or rather, who—Princess Zelda was waiting for: Link, the young man titled the Hero of Time. She knew as well as he did that Link would be on his way to this castle, not only to rescue her, but also to fight one-on-one with Ganondorf at last.

But that confrontation wouldn't be for a while, Ganondorf reminded himself with the hint of a smirk. The boy would first have to destroy the six magical barriers in the castle that the Gerudo man had created, and of course, there was the matter of actually entering the castle, since it was on a floating island surrounded by lava...Ganondorf's face darkened; no doubt Link would be getting aid from the Sages in overcoming _that_ obstacle.

For the present, there was nothing to do but wait. The boy would come sooner or later, and when he did, Ganondorf's goal of obtaining all parts of the Triforce would be fulfilled.

He should have possessed the whole Triforce long ago, but he currently only had the Triforce of Power. That would change tonight. After tonight, Ganondorf would be the bearer of all three parts: Power, Wisdom, _and_ Courage. What fool would dare oppose the King of Evil then?

A cruel smile formed on Ganondorf's face. He had waited seven years—no, perhaps even longer. His temper may be as fiery as the desert sun, but even he knew when to be patient.

He could stand to wait a little more.


	2. A King's Birth and a Child's Ambition

I was always told that my mother, Mahaila, was a well-respected Gerudo in her time. She was a highly skilled warrior, and it was only through years of training that she was powerful enough to become the commander of the army, the highest position a Gerudo woman can have in the absence of a King.

But no amount of skill could prevent my mother from dying in childbirth. She lived just long enough to name me Ganondorf; I was still very young when I was taken in by Koume and Kotake, elderly twin witches.

Despite my mother's death, my birth was something for the Gerudo to celebrate. As the only boy to be born in a hundred years, I was destined to take the throne when I turned sixteen. Until then, I was known merely as the Prince of the Gerudo.

As the Prince, I was schooled by several tutors rather than having classes with girls my age. Aside from combat training, history was my most favored subject; one of my earliest memories is listening to my history tutor read aloud the story of Hyrule's creation.

" _In the beginning, the three goddesses descended upon the void that would be called Hyrule. Din, the goddess of power, created the red earth and cultivated the land. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, gave the land the spirit of law. And Farore, the goddess of courage, produced all life forms who would uphold the law._

" _Once the three goddesses had completed their labors, they departed for the heavens, leaving behind three golden triangles. Since then, the resting place of the triangles—or Triforce, as it is more commonly referred—would become known as the Sacred Realm._ "

"Has anyone ever found the Triforce, Ms. Nalani?" I once asked my history tutor after my lesson was completed.

"Perhaps, Your Highness, many centuries ago," Nalani answered, "but to my knowledge, no one has seen the Triforce in a long time."

"Really? Then I'll be the one to find it!" I declared.

A flicker of a smile had appeared on Nalani's face, but to this day, I doubt she believed me. It was a bold statement for a six-year-old to make; little did I know that those childish words would be nearly prophetic.


	3. Sandstorms and a New Friend

For a race of people living in the desert, sandstorms are no one's friend. They come without warning, mercilessly blowing sand this way and that, and only when the storm is over is it safe to go outside and inspect any damage done.

I was nearing my seventh birthday when a particularly fierce sandstorm hit the valley. In a matter of minutes, a few white-clad Gerudo had gotten everyone inside the fortress, away from the sandstorm that was raging.

Deciding that I might as well go to the library to occupy myself, I headed down the hall when I heard a voice.

"...I could be at the archery range right now, but no, a sandstorm just had to blow in."

I soon discovered that it was a girl about my age, grumbling to herself. She didn't take notice of me until I finally cleared my throat.

She looked up at me, and her golden eyes widened.

"Oh, Y-Your Highness!" Her face flushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." The girl went into an awkward bow.

"Uh...call me Ganondorf," I said, for a lack of anything better to say.

For a moment, the girl looked as though she didn't know whether or not I was serious, but she then smiled. "All right, Ganondorf. If we're going to be on a first-name basis, then I'm Nabooru."

I paused momentarily. I was not used to being addressed as an equal; my royal status prompted most people to treat me with the greatest respect and formality.

Finally, I said, "I was just on my way to the library. Do you want to come with me?"

Nabooru shrugged. "Might as well. I mean, it's not like we can go outside."

I don't remember what books Nabooru and I read that day, but I had known that I'd found a friend.

* * *

"Oh, Ganon, there you are!" Kotake exclaimed that evening (the sandstorm still showed no signs of stopping) when I went to the royal dining room after Nabooru and I parted ways.

I frowned at the nickname, but made no comment as I took my seat. A few minutes later, the cooks had brought in drinks, eating utensils, and dishes piled with food. As soon as a couple of the Gerudo elites (one of them being Fahima, the woman who had become the army's commander after my mother's death) sat down at the table, dinner began.

I didn't have much appetite, only taking a few bites of the bread, meat, and vegetables on my plate. I listened to Fahima and her second-in-command discuss the sandstorm for a while, then I looked at my mothers.

"Can't you use your magic to make the storm stop?" I wanted to know.

Koume chuckled. "We may be witches, son, but not even we can control the weather."

"Would you ever be interested in learning sorcery?" Kotake asked suddenly.

I blinked at her. "I...don't know." At that point, I hadn't given much thought to being taught magic.

"Koume and I aren't getting any younger here," Kotake said, "and you never know when you may need to use a spell or two."

"Let him think about it, Kotake; there's no rush," Koume told her. "You _will_ think about it, won't you?" she questioned, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

My only response was to nod and say, "Of course, Mother."


	4. The Great Civil War in Hyrule

Two and a half years passed since I was first asked about being taught sorcery. Koume and Kotake would occasionally bring up the subject, but I never gave any definitive answer. It would be another five years before I'd come to a decision.

In the meantime, life went on. Whenever Nabooru and I had free time, we spent it together: practicing archery, sparring, visiting the library, and racing on horseback in the archery range when Nabooru turned eight. The desert was more or less peaceful—but in life, nothing can ever stay peaceful.

I was nine when civil war broke out in Hyrule. Many long battles between Hylians, Sheikah, Gorons, and Zoras were fought over who would obtain the Triforce. Even the Gerudo were drawn into the war, soon after the fortress was ambushed by a band of Hylians and Sheikah.

Even years later, I still remember that night: how the guards of the fortress were attacked by arrows before we knew what was happening; how Fahima barked out various orders, including one for the young Gerudo to stay inside the fortress at all times; and how none of us, least of all me, got any sleep, kept up by the noise of arrows firing and the clanging of swords and scimitars.

That night was the first time I'd seen Nabooru in shock. "Why?" Nabooru kept asking, pale and trembling. I didn't know what to say to her, and it wasn't long before Levana, a friend of Nabooru's, took over in comforting her.

In the months that followed, the Gerudo army raided Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle Town several times, stealing whatever they could get from people: their money, their food, their valuables, even their lives. Some Gerudo considered the deaths of Sheikah and Hylians as retribution for their attack on us. Nabooru, however, wasn't so certain.

"Yes, they attacked us, there was no reason for it, and maybe they do deserve punishment," Nabooru once said to me. "But still, slaughtering people is...kind of excessive, don't you think?"

"These are hard times, Nabooru," I replied. "It's an eye for an eye out there."

It was a long time before the war ended; I was fourteen when the new King of Hyrule unified the land and declared the war over. Peace was restored to Hyrule, but no one had forgotten the brutality of the Gerudo.

Soon after the war was over, I approached Koume and Kotake after one of their visits to the Spirit Temple and answered the question they'd asked me so long ago.

"Do you remember when you asked if I wanted to learn magic? I've given it plenty of thought, and my answer is yes."

"Wonderful!" Kotake crowed in delight.

I smiled. "After all, I never know when I'll need it."


	5. The Coronation

It wasn't long before I was going with Koume and Kotake to the Spirit Temple for my sorcery lessons. One of the first things I was taught was that magic is not for the weak at heart. Even when I was still mastering the basics—conjuring fire, lightning, and other forms of energy—I pushed myself to my limits. The day when I would be crowned King was steadily getting closer. If I wanted to live to see the Gerudo have a better life, I needed to learn all that I could.

My coronation, at long last, took place on my sixteenth birthday. I was in the chamber of the fortress that was to be my throne room, kneeling before Fahima, the tip of her scimitar touching my shoulder.

"My days as leader have come to an end," she said. "It is time to give my duties to the desert's rightful ruler."

The scimitar's tip left my shoulder, and I slowly stood up and faced the crowd of Gerudo that were gathered.

"Hail the Gerudo King!" Fahima declared.

I watched as everyone—Fahima, Nabooru, Levana, my mothers, all of my tutors, and many others—kneeled and bowed before me. After waiting all my life, the moment I would truly be the King of the Gerudo had finally come.

There was a huge banquet that night, followed by music and dancing. As the new King, I was expected to start off the dancing by choosing a partner.

I approached Nabooru, who was still sitting at the dining table.

"May I?" I asked, offering my hand to her.

Nabooru grinned. "Certainly, Your Majesty." As she took my hand, I felt an unexpected warmth at her touch. Ignoring it for the moment, I led Nabooru to the temporary dance floor in the room.

"King Ganondorf Dragmire," Nabooru mused as we danced. "Kind of has a nice ring to it."

"I suppose," I said. "But you know, Nabooru, just because I'm King now, it doesn't change anything."

"'Change anything'?" Nabooru repeated, frowning. "What are you talking about?"

"We're still going to be friends, of course."

Nabooru continued to frown; it seemed as though she were lost in thought.

A moment of silence passed before I spoke again. "And speaking of change, your Gerudo elite test is coming up, isn't it?"

Nabooru's frown was replaced by a smile. "Oh, yeah, that'll be in three months. I can't wait!"

I chuckled. "And who knows?" I said. "You may be skilled enough to become my second-in-command."

The night wore on; tomorrow would be my first day as King. And if there was one thing I was certain of, it was that I would do everything to be the greatest King I could be.


	6. Starry Nights

One of my duties as King is to hold political meetings with the Gerudo elites. During the days when I was newly crowned (and even for several years afterward), the discussed topics were normally about how we could improve life in the desert. The only option we seemed to have was to have a trade agreement or an alliance with the Hylians, but they hadn't liked us since the war, and I doubted that would change any time soon.

With my new status as King, as well as my continuing sorcery lessons with Koume and Kotake, I did not see as much of Nabooru as I would have liked. Three months after my coronation, Nabooru passed her test (going through several trials in the Gerudo Training Grounds) and became an elite. It was over a year later that I appointed her as my second-in-command.

The next time I saw Nabooru, I found her on the roof of the fortress, looking up at the night sky.

"Nabooru?" I asked.

She turned around to face me and smiled. "I was hoping I'd run into you."

I walked up to Nabooru and sat down next to her. "What are you doing out here?"

"Stargazing," she answered, looking back to the stars. "They're beautiful, aren't they? They're like...like shining grains of sand."

"I guess they are. Beautiful, I mean," I said ( _But not like you,_ I found myself thinking), "But you're probably the only Gerudo who'd compared the stars with sand."

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Nabooru grinned at me, then soon became serious. "Ganondorf, I just want to thank you. I mean, it's always been my dream to have an elite position, but to become the second-in-command to the King?"

I smiled at her. "Hey, there isn't anyone I'd trust more to look after the fortress whenever I'm not here."

Even in the darkness, I could've sworn that Nabooru blushed. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again.

"And speaking of you not being here, I'm guessing your magic training is going well?"

I nodded. "Koume and Kotake have been teaching me more advanced spells. That seems to be the only thing going well, though," I added, frowning.

"What do you mean?" Nabooru wanted to know.

"Nabooru, you and I both know that the Gerudo aren't exactly the wealthiest race in Hyrule. For Din's sake, we live in a goddess forsaken desert." I gestured towards the ground below us. "Everyone is looking to me to make us prosper, but the only way for me to do so that makes sense would be to form an alliance with the Hylians. How am I supposed to do that when the Hylians hate us?"

Nabooru smiled sympathetically and took my hand. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. Nabooru suddenly gasped as a shooting star shot across the sky.

"Are you going to make a wish?" I asked.

She paused thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know. I feel like I have everything I ever wanted..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at me intently. "Except, there is one thing..."

"One thing?" I repeated.

"Yes," she replied. She now looked a little nervous. "I can show you, if you want, as long as you won't get angry."

"Nabooru, there is no way I could be angry with you," I assured her. "Now what is it?"

A few seconds later, I had my answer. Nabooru had her lips lightly pressed against mine. My heart must have skipped several beats at that moment. _Nabooru...is kissing me?_

The kiss was soft and gentle, and Nabooru pulled away quickly; now I was positive that she was blushing.

"I...I just wanted you to know, Ganondorf," she said quietly, looking down.

"Nabooru..." I couldn't think of anything to say. So I did the first thing that came to me.

I lifted Nabooru's chin to look into her golden eyes and kissed her, with only the stars, moon, and night air as witnesses.


	7. A Reoccurring Dream

Nabooru and I had crossed the invisible line between "friends" and "something more" that night. And despite the duties we had to attend to, we made sure to make time where we could simply be together, not as the King and his second-in-command, but as Ganondorf and Nabooru.

It was during the beginning of the sixth year of my reign that I had a particularly vivid dream. In the dream, I was surrounded by darkness. Suddenly, I saw an orb of golden light appear before me. I ran towards the light, a desire to obtain it filling me, but it seemed that no matter how long I ran, the light remained out of my reach. Finally, with a burst of speed, my hand reached out toward the light, but right before I could touch it, the dream ended.

I didn't think anything of the dream at first, so I hadn't bothered to tell either Nabooru or Koume and Kotake about it. But I had the dream again—several times. At first, it was only once a week, then every five nights or so, then it progressed to every other night. After three months of having this dream, I decided it was time to speak to Koume and Kotake about it.

It was after my sorcery lesson (my last one, as by now, I had learned everything Koume and Kotake knew about magic) was finished that I brought up the dream.

After I explained my dream to them, Koume and Kotake looked at each other in silence for a few minutes.

Finally, Koume turned to me and spoke. "Ganondorf, do you remember studying about the Triforce when you were a child?"

"Yes, of course," I answered, wondering where this conversation was going. "The Triforce marks the place where the three goddesses left the world, and the place the Triforce is hidden is the Sacred Realm."

Kotake chuckled. "Very good, son, but I doubt your tutor ever told you everything about the Triforce."

When I asked Kotake what she meant, she and Koume explained that there was an ancient rhyme about the Triforce that had been passed down through the generations among the Hylians:

" _In a realm beyond sight,_ _  
The sky shines gold, not blue.  
There, the Triforce's might  
Makes mortal dreams come true._"

Before I could ponder what the poem meant, Koume asked me, "Did you ever consider that your dream might be a premonition?"

"A premonition?" I repeated.

"Oh, I think I know what you're saying, Koume!" Kotake exclaimed. "The golden light must symbolize the Triforce, which means," she looked at me, "that perhaps it is your destiny to one day get the Triforce!"

I hadn't thought of that. And the more I thought of it as I rode back to the fortress, the more sense it made.

As soon as I made it to my throne room, I was immediately greeted by Nabooru, who embraced me.

"Nabooru, I think I may have found a way to help the Gerudo," I said as I held her in my arms. "I can't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner."

"That's great!" Nabooru pulled back slightly to look up at me, smiling. "What is it?"

I told her about my dream and how Koume and Kotake thought it was a prophecy about my obtaining the Triforce.

"So if I can get the Triforce, I will wish to be able to rule all of Hyrule. Our people will no longer have to live in poverty."

Nabooru frowned. "Rule all of Hyrule? Why not wish for the Gerudo to be more prosperous? And no one's been able to lay their hands on the Triforce for centuries, let alone enter the Sacred Realm. What makes you think you can?"

"Nabooru, I'm probably the most powerful Gerudo King to ever live," I said confidently.

"That doesn't really answer my question," Nabooru pointed out. "Do you even know where the Sacred Realm is located?"

"Well, that's where I'll be having a little help," I said. "I've decided to go to Hyrule Castle, try to gain the King's favor, and learn all I can about the location of the Sacred Realm. I may be gone for awhile," I added.

Nabooru momentarily paused, then asked uncertainly, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

I nodded. Maybe Nabooru couldn't see it now, but I was sure she'd come around. Obtaining the Triforce would be the solution to our problems, and I was determined to get it by any means necessary.


	8. Pledging Allegiance

A few days after my conversation with Nabooru, I wrote a letter to the King of Hyrule requesting an audience with him and sent Levana (whom Nabooru had promoted as her second-in-command) to deliver it. When Levana returned to the fortress, she informed me that the King had accepted my request. The next morning, I had one of the black Gerudo stallions prepared and set off to Hyrule Castle.

I was briefly astounded by the sight of Hyrule Field. Green grass stretched on for miles and miles, and the soft breeze was quite unlike the harsh winds common to the desert. It was as though I had stepped into a different world, one pure and free of toil.

My only thought as I continued riding was: _I'll be doing the Gerudo a favor when I rule all of this land._

I made it through the field and Hyrule Castle Town before I arrived at the castle's gate.

"What is your business here, sir?" a Hylian guard asked.

"I have permission from the King to meet with him today," I calmly informed him.

The guard was silent for a moment, then seemed to decide I was being truthful.

"Very well," he said, and the gate opened. I continued up the path that led to the castle. I had only a few seconds to look at the grand, white castle before I crossed the open drawbridge.

Before I knew it, some of the guards had taken my horse to the royal stables and other were leading me to the throne room.

The King was sitting on his throne; to the left of him was a young girl who I assumed was his daughter.

"Your Majesty." I gave a low bow.

"Rise, Ganondorf of the Gerudo," the King said; I stood up. "Before we discuss the purpose of this visit, I would like you to meet my daughter, Princess Zelda." He gestured towards the girl.

"Good day," Princess Zelda greeted coolly, curtseying a little. She wasn't smiling.

I acknowledged her with a slight nod, then returned my attention to the King.

"I must admit, sir," the King began, "that it came as a bit of a shock when I received your letter. Politically speaking, the Hylians have had little to do with the Gerudo for many years. For what reason are you here now?"

"Sire, I realize that the relations between my people and yours have been tense," I said, "especially after the Great War. I come before you to pledge my fealty to you."

The King paused. "Pledge your fealty?"

"Yes," I answered.

"You wish to form an alliance?"

"Absolutely."

"You swear to have your army join forces with mine should the need ever arise?"

"Certainly."

The King smiled. "Then I have your allegiance."

I kept my face calm, but inside, I was smirking in triumph. The King was all too willing to place his trust in me. Princess Zelda, who was now staring at the floor, seemed reluctant to do the same, but that wasn't my concern.

If all went according to plan, the Triforce was as good as mine.


	9. The Composer Brothers

I spent the next several weeks at Hyrule Castle. Much of my time was spent on attending the King's meetings with his Hylian soldiers, but I was able to find time to go to the royal library to try to find out anything I could about the Sacred Realm. Unfortunately for me, I was still no nearer to discovering the Realm's location than when I first arrived at the castle.

On the bright side, however, I had made the acquaintance of two Sheikah brothers, Sharp and Flat. I had been at the castle for five weeks when I had a shrewd idea that they may have had information I needed.

During that evening, Flat had mentioned to the King at dinner that he and Sharp had completed a certain study on controlling time with the tones of ocarinas. The next morning, I bade goodbye to the King and returned to Gerudo Valley.

Once there, I gathered the elites who were most loyal to me and led them on a raid in Kakariko Village. Amidst the panicked screams of the villagers as the Gerudo began their pillage, I used orbs of energy to blast the doors of houses open, eventually finding the one where Sharp and Flat resided.

I took in their shaken faces after I blasted their front door, and decided to cut to the chase.

"You told the King last night that you had completed a study on controlling time," I said. "What are the results of your study? Tell me!" I added angrily when neither Sharp nor Flat answered right away.

Sharp's initial unease disappeared as he began to glare. "How dare you? You have your people attack our village, and you except us to give you information?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "As I'm sure you're well aware, Gerudo raids are an...unfortunate necessity in life. I can put a stop to it if you like, but only if you give me your study's results."

"We won't do it!" Flat snapped suddenly.

My eyes narrowed. "You won't?"

"No, we won't," Sharp responded. "We would die before we let you reap the fruits of our research!"

I regarded the brothers silently for a moment. "Very well. Then your defiance will be the last thing you do."

I lifted both my hands, and two glowing orbs of energy shot from my hands and engulfed both Sharp and Flat in their light. The brothers screamed in pain, the light faded, and they fell face down on the floor, dead.

I looked at the bodies coldly, then left the house without looking back.

That night, back at the fortress, I told Nabooru what had happened.

"You killed them?" she asked, appalled. "Just because they wouldn't give you the information you wanted?"

"Exactly," I said calmly. "They didn't have to die; it was their own stubbornness that got them killed."

Nabooru simply stared at me. "What has gotten into you lately?"


	10. The Spiritual Stones and a Boy in Green

Over the next year and a half, I continued to make trips to Hyrule Castle. After much searching in the library, I finally found a book that not only had information on the Sacred Realm's location, but also how to enter the Realm. There was a stone wall in the Temple of Time called the Door of Time, and the keys to open the door were three Spiritual Stones—the Kokiri's Emerald, the Goron's Ruby, and the Zora's Sapphire—and the Ocarina of Time, a treasure of Hyrule's Royal Family.

My next problem was how I could get the three stones from their respective races. Luckily, my question was partially answered the next day.

That morning, I found myself overhearing a conversation between the King and Princess Zelda in the throne room.

"Father, with all due respect, I beg you to consider what I'm telling you."

The King's voice was calm. "Zelda, we have been through this. Ganondorf has sworn his loyalty to me; aside from your word, there is no reason to believe he has any dark intentions."

"But what about the dream I've been having?" Zelda asked. "With dark clouds covering Hyrule, and a figure in green appearing from a light? Surely it's clear that the clouds symbolize—"

"Sometimes, my daughter," the King interrupted sternly, "dreams are just that: dreams. Now go on with your studies; I have a meeting in a few minutes."

A small part of me was vaguely curious about this dream of the Princess', but I quickly decided that it didn't concern me. And what I learned during that day's meeting drove the King's conversation with Zelda out of my mind. Recently on Death Mountain, many Dodongos had suddenly invaded Dodongo's Cavern, where the Gorons went to get rocks to eat. Since Dodongo's Cavern was now a very dangerous place, the Gorons were unable to get food for themselves.

I went back to Gerudo Valley, a plan on how I could get the Goron's Ruby forming in my mind. I wrote a letter to Darunia, the leader of the Gorons, specifically requesting to meet at the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern. The next day, I went to Death Mountain.

"I heard about your predicament with Dodongo's Cavern," I told Darunia, nodding to the aforementioned cavern.

"It's terrible, yes," Darunia said. "We Gorons may be sturdy creatures, but we can't live without food forever. I'm hoping the King will be able to help us."

"Perhaps I could help," I said. "If you give me the Spiritual Stone of Fire, I can destroy all the Dodongos for you."

Darunia looked at me sharply. "Excuse me? Give you our race's hidden treasure?"

"Yes," I replied impatiently. "Do we have a deal or not?"

"Absolutely not." Darunia was now glaring. "The Spiritual Stone of Fire has been with the Gorons as long as there's been Gorons. I'm not going to just hand it over to you!"

I began to smirk. "Well, if that's really how you feel..." I raised my hand toward the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern and muttered a spell. A bright light appeared, and when it faded, the cavern was sealed shut by a large boulder.

I looked back at Darunia, no longer smirking. "Give me the Spiritual Stone!" I demanded. "Only then will I open the cave for you!"

For a few minutes, Darunia seemed too outraged to speak. "No deal," he said finally.

"Then I suppose your people will have to starve to death." And with that, I left Death Mountain.

* * *

A few days later, I went to the Kokiri Forest, hoping I would have more luck with getting the Kokiri's Emerald. But fate was not on my side; the forest's guardian, the Great Deku Tree, utterly refused to give me the Spiritual Stone of the Forest. In retaliation, I cast a curse upon the Deku Tree, which would slowly drain him of his power until he withered and died.

By the next day, it would be an understatement to say I was frustrated. Neither of the two Spiritual Stones I tried to acquire were in my possession, and I had a shrewd feeling that King Zora would be just as uncooperative as Darunia and the Great Deku Tree had been.

I forced myself to act calmly and respectfully as I entered the throne room of Hyrule Castle and bowed to the King. He did not suspect me of anything, and for a time, I intended to keep it that way.

I suddenly felt as though I were being watched. I took a glance out of a window that separated the throne room from the castle courtyard. Sure enough, I saw Princess Zelda and a boy dressed in a green tunic looking at me through the window.

About a second later, I turned my attention back to the King, suddenly remembering what Zelda had said to her father about her dream. _A figure in green..._ I thought. The Princess had never trusted me; could it be that she and that boy were concocting a scheme to thwart my plans?

If I could, I would have snorted in derision. _I would love to see them try._


	11. Nabooru's Exile and Getting the Triforce

I didn't see the boy in green again in the weeks that followed, but I had little doubt that I would cross paths with him eventually. In the meantime, I went to Zora's Domain in an attempt to get the Spiritual Stone of Water from King Zora. When he didn't comply, I cast a spell on the Zora's guardian deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu, that would make him believe that anything—or anyone—brought before him was food.

I remembered from my studies on the Zora culture as a child that feeding Jabu-Jabu was the duty of the children born into the Zora Royal Family. And if my suspicions about the boy were correct—and I was certain they were—he would be looking for the Spiritual Stones as well. With both pieces of information in mind, I used magic to create a bottled letter claiming to be from Princess Ruto and saying that she was trapped inside Jabu-Jabu's belly.

In the fortress the next morning, I found Nabooru standing in my throne room.

"I'm assuming you didn't get the Spiritual Stone, so you left the Zoras with a curse?" she asked tonelessly, a flat expression on her face.

"That's correct," I answered.

A moment passed in silence. Over the last year or so, Nabooru and I had spent a good deal of time arguing about my goal to obtain the Triforce and the means I was using to achieve it. This conversation would be no different.

"How long have you been searching for those stones, Ganon?" Nabooru's tone of voice and expression morphed into anger as she continued. "How long have you been obsessing over the Triforce? And all you have to show for it are three curses and two dead men!"

"Nabooru, we've been through this," I said calmly. "As soon as I get the Triforce—"

"Right, because that's all you care about now, isn't it?" she interrupted, glaring at me. "This has everything to do with your selfish desire for more power than you already have! You don't even care about our people anymore, do you?"

I glared back at her. "You're one to talk about being selfish. You're always saying I never have time for you."

Nabooru let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Only because it's true. What, am I one of the last things on your priority list?"

"Try not even on the list," I said snidely. "Nabooru, if you don't understand why I need to obtain the Triforce, then—"

"Oh, I think I understand perfectly," Nabooru interrupted again, her voice now cold. "I understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want, even if it's horrible."

I stared at her, and in that moment, I remembered a time when Nabooru looked at me with love. Now, angry glares had replaced warm, affectionate smiles.

"I guess we now know where we stand," I finally said.

"You're not the man I fell in love with, Ganondorf," Nabooru told me. "If this is who you are now, then I want no part in it."

She would dare to oppose her King? "You're banished."

For the first time since the argument started, Nabooru's eyes widened in shock. " _What_?"

"I hereby banish you to the Haunted Wasteland," I said simply.

I called for two of the elites to seize Nabooru. As she was dragged away, struggling all the while, the last look she gave me that day was one of absolute hatred.

* * *

I finally made my move against the King of Hyrule the next evening. I led the elites on a raid on Hyrule Castle Town, as well as on the castle itself. As soon as the Hylian soldiers attempted to defend themselves against the Gerudo, I went into the castle and headed to the throne room, where I found the King.

"Traitor!" he spat out, reaching to withdraw the sword at his hip.

I held up my hand, unable to suppress a slight smirk. "Although I will say you're not as unintelligent as I thought, I'm not here to fight. All you need to do is tell me where the Ocarina of Time is, and you'll be able to walk out of here in one piece."

"Never. Whatever you're planning, Ganondorf, I refuse to help you with it."

I shook my head. "Too bad." And before the King could do or say anything more, I withdrew my own sword and stabbed him in the heart. The King's eyes widened, then he slumped forward, dead.

A scream came from the doorway. I looked over the dead King's shoulder to see Princess Zelda, who stood frozen for a few seconds, then ran.

Leaving the King's body, I ran after Zelda. I caught up to her in time to see her in a treasure chamber, tucking something—doubtlessly the Ocarina of Time—into her dress.

"Hand the Ocarina over, girl," I commanded, "unless you want to share the same fate as your father."

"No!" she cried out defiantly.

"Princess!" At that moment, Zelda's attendant Impa appeared as though from nowhere, scooped the girl up in her arms, and took off running.

I did not hesitate to chase them out of the castle. My black stallion was waiting for me outside; once I had mounted my steed, I continued to pursue Impa and Zelda, who were riding away on a white horse.

Rain started to fall as we rode through Hyrule Castle Town. Quite a few Hylians hurried to get out of my way. By the time I made it to Hyrule Field, I had lost sight of Zelda and Impa.

I let out a frustrated grunt, cursing my luck. Just then, I noticed I wasn't alone. Standing some feet away from me was the boy in green.

"You, over there! Little kid!" I barked out. "You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now. Which way did it go? Answer me!"

The boy took a couple of steps backward. "Yeah, like I'd tell you," he said. His voice was steady, but I could still see a hint of fear in his eyes.

"You think you can protect them from me?" I asked, amused. "You've got guts, kid."

What I said must have touched a nerve, since any fear the boy had disappeared. He withdrew his little sword, his brows furrowed.

I chuckled at the sight. "You want a piece of me? Very funny! I like your attitude!"

And with that, I shot a ball of energy at the boy. He screamed and fell onto the grass.

"Pathetic little fool!" I said contemptuously. "Do you realize who you are dealing with? I am Ganondorf! And soon, I will rule the world!"

Without waiting for a response from the boy, who was still lying in the grass, I galloped away.

* * *

It wasn't even an hour later that my goal neared its completion.

I followed the boy to the Temple of Time. I watched as he played the Ocarina to open the Door of Time. I watched as he pulled the Master Sword from its Pedestal.

And that left me free to enter the Sacred Realm.

I could almost taste the irony. This boy had set out to stop me, and ended up doing precisely what was needed for me to get what I wanted.

At last—at long last—the Triforce was _mine_.


	12. An Incomplete Goal

It has now been five years since the day the boy unwittingly enabled me to invade the Sacred Realm. When I touched the Triforce, to my great surprise, it split into three parts. The Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage disappeared, and I was left with only the Triforce of Power. With its might enhancing my own sorcery, I managed to kill five of the Six Sages; the only one left alive was Rauru, the Sage of Light.

The day after I managed to acquired the Triforce of Power, Koume and Kotake cast a powerful brainwashing spell on Nabooru, and she now resides in the Spirit Temple. I also cast the spell on all the Gerudo who opposed me, so none of them could ever potentially rise against me.

Hyrule Castle no longer stands tall and proud; in its place is a castle of my own design. The people of Hyrule Castle Town fled to Kakariko Village long ago; ReDeads now wander the deserted streets of the ruined town. Zora's Domain has frozen solid, encasing the Zoras in ice. Lake Hylia has dried up. The Kokiri Forest is overrun with various monsters.

With the Triforce of Power in my hand, I have conquered all of Hyrule. Perhaps I should be satisfied with how things have turned out, but there is still one thing that nags at me.

I haven't seen Princess Zelda or the boy since that fateful day. No doubt the Triforce parts I couldn't obtain now lie within those two; wherever the Princess and the boy are, they're bound to show their faces sooner or later.

When that day comes, I will be that much closer to completing my goal.

And I won't rest until the entire Triforce is in my grasp.


	13. Epilogue: A King Vanquished

In the few seconds of silence that followed after Link delivered the final blow to Ganon, the only thought running through the latter's mind was: _No._

How could he—the King of Evil, the conqueror of Hyrule—be defeated by a mere boy, not only once, but _twice_?

This wasn't supposed to be happening! By the goddesses, he was supposed to have claimed the entire Triforce by now! He should have killed Link in their initial battle, and when that failed, Link and Zelda should have been crushed when he caused the castle to collapse.

Instead, he was lying on the ground, bleeding from his wounds and not wanting to accept that he had been defeated.

Suddenly, a roar of fury—fury that he had lost, fury that everything he did up to this point had been for nothing—erupted from Ganondorf's beast-like form, and he dimly heard Zelda shouting to be heard above his roar.

Within seconds, white light engulfed him, and he caught brief glimpses of the Sages: Rauru, Darunia, Impa...

 _Nabooru_. Her face seemed to be the clearest thing of all, her golden eyes filled with nothing but icy hatred.

In the next instant, before Ganondorf even had time to think, Nabooru and the other Sages disappeared from his sight. He found himself surrounded by darkness, and he knew what that meant.

The Sages had sealed him into the void of the Evil Realm.

Ganondorf Dragmire was truly defeated.

"Curse you!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the empty darkness. " _Curse you all_!"

But beneath all of his anger, there was a part of Ganondorf that remembered he still had the Triforce of Power, and this seal would eventually weaken. It may be decades, even centuries, but the seal would be broken.

Ganondorf had only been in the Evil Realm for a few minutes, but he already couldn't wait until he could break out.

When that day came, Link, Zelda, the Sages, and all of their descendents would pay with their very lives.

The King of Evil would see to that.


End file.
